Published on January 07, 2012

Rays Food Place Donates $3,599 to Three Rivers Women’s Imaging

PHOTO: Pictured with the check are (l-r) Adam White, Kathleen Morlan, Sue Anderson, Diana Sheldon, Three Rivers Women’s Imaging, Ashley Cubic, Jim Cutter, assistant manager, Rays, Rhonda Loper, Three Rivers Women’s Imaging, and Debbie Dagget, Asante Foundation.

C&K Markets (Rays) on Williams Highway in Grants Pass donated $3,599.69 to the Connie Fiske Fund for breast cancer screenings and mammograms on Thursday, January 5. Thanks to this generous donation, approximately 40 women who otherwise could not afford it will be able to get mammograms at Three Rivers Women’s Imaging in Grants Pass.

Rays employees raised the funds by asking customers to “round up” their change at checkout during the month of October.

“That we raised that much was surprising,” said Ashley Cubic, an employee at Rays. “It’s just a little bit, but it really adds up.” Cubic added that the staff was excited to be able to help.

Sue Anderson, who was the top Rays fundraiser with nearly $1,000, said customers appreciated that is was for a local cause. “I let them know their change would stay here locally at Three Rivers Women’s Imaging and help women right here,” she said. “Our customers are loyal and very positive.”

Anderson is a breast cancer survivor and was diagnosed at Three Rivers Women’s Imaging. “I have been through it so it was a little more of an incentive. I told them (her coworkers) that it was going to a wonderful cause. We all cheer each other on.”

“We just love Rays,” said Diana Sheldon, RN, Breast Health Navigator. “The Connie Fiske Memorial Fund has saved lives with early detection, and their contribution will help many women.”

Since it began in 2009, the Connie Fiske fund has helped 416 qualifying women get mammograms at Three Rivers Women’s Imaging free of charge. To donate to the fund, please call the Three Rivers Community Hospital Foundation at 541-472-7300. You can also donate online at Asante Foundation (select "Other" for gift and enter, "Connie Fiske."

For more information about getting a free screening mammogram, call Three Rivers Women’s Imaging at 541-955-5446.

How the Free Screening Mammogram Program Came About

In October 2009, a free screening mammogram fund was established by Asante Health System for its hospitals, Rogue Valley Medical Center and Three Rivers Community Hospital. The fund is in memory of Connie Fiske, a nurse at TRCH who died from breast cancer and was instrumental in the grant project. The fund is supported by grants from the Susan G. Komen Foundation and local donations from businesses and individuals.

Who Is Eligible

This fund helps women needing screening mammograms who fit the following requirements:

• Be a resident of Jackson or Josephine County
• Be uninsured and up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level
• Be 40 to 64 years old
• Be delinquent for a screening mammogram

If the screening finds an anomaly, the woman is referred to the Breast and Cervical Cancer Program for future funding. Since the inception of the fund in October 2009, over 200 women have received funds at Three Rivers Women’s Imaging. These women would not have received mammograms without assistance of this kind.

Breast Cancer Incidence High in Josephine County

According to a Komen study (Komen, 2002-2005); Josephine County has one of the highest incidences of deaths from breast cancer (27.1 percent) when compared to state and national rates. Making it worse, 38.8 percent of women in Josephine County have not had a screening mammography within the last two years. In addition, the same study states that 23.2 percent of Josephine county women are uninsured. Oregon has one of the highest female breast cancer rates in the US. Each week, about 62 Oregon women are diagnosed with breast cancer (Oregon State Cancer Registry, 2005).